


Because No One Ever Has

by ChasetheSun2



Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Fuchsia Karkat, M/M, Slow Burn, Tags May Change
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-10-11 13:36:00
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,709
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20547014
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ChasetheSun2/pseuds/ChasetheSun2
Summary: “You have to tell me what’s going on.” It sounded more like a plea than a command.Ampora glared at him for a second longer. Karkat wished he'd never asked.





	Because No One Ever Has

**Author's Note:**

  * For [twofoldAxiom](https://archiveofourown.org/users/twofoldAxiom/gifts).

> Happy birthday Chess! 
> 
> I got too excited with what was supposed to be pwp so instead enjoy the first chapter of something that's going to be very, very long. 
> 
> Title comes from a quote from the Princess Bride: "Nonsense. You’re only saying that [we won't survive] because no one ever has.”

The sun had just barely fallen when Karkat was shaken awake by a rough, calloused hand. “Up,” Said a voice gruff from far too many cancer sticks. “Get up. It’s time to go, Vantas. I don’t have time to wait around for you to get prettied up this time.” 

Karkat groaned to himself as he sat up; the light was only just barely tolerable as it filtered in through his hive window and he squinted, letting the silhouette in front of him come into view. The bastard Karkat called his aide must’ve been up for hours at this point, judging by the cloak and dark goggles he wore, concealing the violet of his eyes. What had he even been doing? Karkat didn’t want to ask, but he had a feeling he’d figure it out soon enough anyway. His tousled hair and cracked lightning horns stood out against the fading dusk light, though, and Karkat scowled at him with the practised ease of a royal used to watching lessers quiver under his gaze. 

Ampora, however, did not falter in the slightest. If anything, he returned the gaze harder. Karkat succumbed and flopped back down on his bed to stretch and groan out his aggravation. 

“It’s quarter to Hell’s asshole in the evening and you’re already dragging my ass out of bed. Don’t you have anything better to do than find new and exaggerated ways to torture me?” He groused. Ampora wasn’t having any of his shit today, it seemed, because the minute he finished stretching Karkat felt that same rough hand from before grabbing his wrist and hauling him up. “Hey!”

“I said I don’t have time for this.” He was a little meaner than usual, a little less patient, and it frightened Karkat into following along wordlessly. “ _ We _ don’t have time for this. You need to get up and get changed. No shower. No time. Wear somethin’ plain and comfortable. No jewelry, no nothin - if I see a single glint of gold I'll tear it off.”

The elder troll was walking fast and talking faster. Karkat’s lips pulled into a thin line, his brow furrowed with confusion and worry. Now that he was somewhat awake and had his traditional morning bitching out of the way, he was starting to read the room a little better and he didn’t like it at all. Ampora hadn’t dragged him around like this since he was young and mouthy. He  _ wouldn’t _ drag Karkat around like this now unless he absolutely felt he had to. Looking up at the other’s face Karkat could see the hard line of Ampora’s mouth, jaw going off as he ground his flat back molars into dust. Karkat’s own jaw ached in sympathy. He couldn’t see Ampora’s eyes, but he knew somehow that the one that wasn’t blinded by cataracts would be narrowed in a sharp glare. His shoulders were tense under the cloak and he walked stiffly with a purpose. 

All in all, Ampora reminded Karkat of those men he saw in movies who walked willingly to the guillotine. It didn’t bode well for either of them that he was acting like this, and it scared the shit out of Karkat.

“Hang on - we have to have two seconds to talk, wait--” Karkat dug in his heels. Even with his considerable strength he knew he wasn’t a match for an adult highblood, but he put up a good fight nonetheless as he tugged on Ampora’s arm. To his credit, his aide did in fact stop, but he did it with a snarl. Ice shot through Karkat’s veins and his fins twitched, but he refused to show weakness. Not right now, not in front of him. Karkat swallowed.

“You have to tell me what’s going on.” It sounded more like a plea than a command.

Ampora glared at him for a second longer, looking him up and down in a way that made Karkat feel like he was being analyzed. After a moment of silence the tic in his jaw went off again and he turned, starting to walk double-time again. When he spoke, his voice was low. It felt...dangerous. 

“The Empress is dead. All of her heirs are bein’ hunted.”

Karkat wished he’d never asked.

-

Karkat’s bags were already packed when he made it to the front door of his hive. He’d insisted on a shower; he lived far enough outside the ring of the Empress’ influence that five minutes wouldn’t condemn him either way. The look on Ampora’s face said he believed otherwise, but since he had to finish packing anyway, his aide allowed it. 

“Five minutes.” He’d said sternly. “If you take any longer, I’m comin’ in there and draggin’ you out myself.”

Sure enough five minutes (and twelve seconds) later, Karkat stepped out of the shower wearing a plain black cotton shirt and loose cotton pants. He could smell cigarette smoke wafting from downstairs and scowled. Ampora knew very fucking well that Karkat hated the smell of cigarette smoke, hated the coughing and rasping it caused him. With things as they were, however, Karkat couldn’t really go off on him about it. Things were shit and damn if Karkat didn’t feel tempted to ask Ampora if he could bum a cigarette right along with him. Dread had his stomach in knots and though he knew Ampora would force him to eat before they left, he felt like it’d end up in the load gaper.

With an aggravated noise he pulled his ever-growing hair into a small bun to keep the damp tendrils off his neck and began to descend to the main floor. The smell got stronger but to the obvious surprise of his aide, Karkat didn’t comment on it. 

“What did you pack?” He asked instead. Ampora grunted, raising a brow at him and stubbing out the cigarette on the windowsill. “Fucking gross, man, at least throw it outside like a normal troll.”

“Go fuck yourself, I’m not litterin’.” Ampora said bluntly. “I packed some travel clothes and food and a few medkits. Think you can stuff some of this shit in your sylladex, or you got too much fancy bullshit stuffed in there like usual?”

Karkat showed him a middle finger, picking up the bags and trying his hardest to sort them into his sylladex. There were a few things in there he could toss; the books were staying, of course, as were his sickles. The spare jewelry was about to be tossed when Ampora stayed his hand, grabbing them up and putting them into his own dex. 

“Could be pawned later if we need the money.” He explained. Karkat shrugged, gritting his teeth and feeling a pang of anger. He  _ liked _ those, damn it. He’d want them back when this was all over.

Nonetheless he kept sorting and stuffing. There was something in the very back, a package long forgotten. Karkat knew what was in it, of course, he knew about everything in his dex. For several moments he debated it, wondering if it’d ever come into use. Finally, he decided; probably not, but fuck it. It’d be nice to have just in case. He kept it in the very back of his dex, behind the books and bags. 

It’d stay there for a very long time.

“Alright.” Karkat sighed. One bag was left when he finished and he slung it over his shoulder, grateful that it was light. Ampora, likewise, had slipped the straps of a military-looking utility pack over his shoulders and was adjusting it to his comfort. It was only a quarter past eight in the evening and Karkat was already sweating, not used to heavy cottons and hard work. He wiped his face. Ampora didn’t even look fazed by the morning heat. “Please tell me we’re taking the scuttlebuggy, I will literally tear my own legs off in protest if we have to walk a single fucking step into the city. I mean it this time, I will start gnawing.”

“Of course we’re takin’ a fuckin’ buggy.” Karkat knew Ampora hadn’t meant to snap. He’d been up for an hour and they hadn’t left yet, Ampora must be just about to blow with impatience. Karkat was sure he could see a vein pulsing in his aide’s forehead. “Can’t risk bein’ seen. I had Asimov fix the tracker in the buggy so the drones think it’s a cab. We won’t be followed that way, at least.”

At this point Ampora was just muttering to himself and Karkat knew this. Ampora opened the door and let them both out, not even bothering to lock it after. Another offense in Karkat’s book; he had so many nice fucking things in there that any bandit could go ahead and rob while they were away, but no, this dolt decides making a speedy exit is more important than making sure the damn place is secure for when they come back. Karkat scowls at him, snatching the keys from his hands and locking the door proper. Just to really piss in the aide’s cornflakes, he put in the palm scanner, too. No one’s fucking getting in there now.

Ampora, meanwhile, looked severely unimpressed. “Are you done.” he said, like he was speaking to a child. Karkat’s fins flared.

“Fuck off, I want a hive to come back to when--”

“We’re not coming back.”

The words stung like a slap straight to the face and took all the wind out of Karkat’s sails. His fins drooped just the slightest before he fixed them rigid, keeping his voice steady as he spoke. 

“...The fuck you mean, we’re not coming back.”

“I mean exactly what I said.” Ampora evidently didn’t have time to deal with any more lollygagging and questions. He grabbed Karkat’s arm and pulled him to the scuttlebuggy with so much force that Karkat tripped. He was about to shout, to make a scene and get angry, but one look from Ampora shut him up real fast. His eyes shot overhead to a drone passing over his hive and, for the first time in his life, the sight sent a cold shiver down his spine.  _ That drone was probably sent for me. _

“Shut up and get in.” Ampora ordered, and for once Karkat obeyed.


End file.
